The Galavires
by Phreshmon
Summary: Ezio Auditore has found an old family enemy.
1. Forest

19th July, 1481. Firenze

Ezio Auditore de Firenze marched through the dense canopy of trees, seeking out one individual. The man he was seeking was a wanted criminal, an unauthorised assassin. The man was around six feet, and wore black clothes. A thick, hooded ranger coat reaching down to his ankles covered an armoured shirt and pants. Tall leather boots were home to a 5 inch long hidden knife. It was rumoured that he had a similar retracting wristblade to the Assassin's. The Templars had no part in this, and this had been proven. This man seemed motivated by something else.  
Ezio had been tracking him for six days. And he was almost upon him. A noise made Ezio turn. He could see someone a few hundred feet away, but it was too small to be the man he was tracking.  
What was clear however is that thing individual was armed with a bow. Ezio had never lost a fight before, but he had no idea how good a shot this new foe was. There was a distinct twang, and Ezio's lightning kicked in. He dived sideways behind a tree trunk as a purple feathered arrow splintered against a jagged rock. Ezio pulled himself up to the top branches of the tree, and with expertise swung across to the next tree, and the next until he was staring down on his attacker. Ezio dropped down from the overhanging branch, and landed silently behind the figure. Ezio let his hidden blade slide out before grabbing the man from behind and slamming him with all force on the tree roots. The man cried out, but his cry was silenced by a gloved hand.  
"Who are you, and why were you trying to kill me?" Ezio snarled. The man made a sudden movement to escape. Ezio punched him in the face, and blood spurted from his captive's nose.  
"Speak, or be silenced for ever" Ezio threatened. The man spat blood onto Ezio's face.  
"Go on then you bastard. Long Live the Galavires!" Ezio plunged the wristblade into the man's stomach. The man's eyes bulged for a second before rolling upwards and closing.  
The Galavires? Something about that name rang a bell, but Ezio couldn't identify it. He remembered his brother, Altiar, speak of it to Giovani, and Giovani had told him never to speak of '_that day'_ ever again…

To be continued…. Soon.


	2. Ambush

Chapter 2 – Ambush

The sun had fully set, and Ezio had still not found any other sign of the man he tracked or of the Galavires, whoever they were. He had continued deep into the forest, and the only life he had come across was a deer, which he had killed and eaten. He had lit a fire, which had since burned out, and was sitting, cross legged sharpening one of his many knives against a small rock. The only light was the glowing embers, lighting up Ezio's tired eyes. He hadn't slept for three days. The more he tried to stay awake, the more his eyes seemed to get heavier and heavier. He couldn't help himself, and he drifted slowly to sleep.

Ezio's head snapped upwards and he launched himself forwards as yet another arrow soared millimetres from his ear. He cursed himself for falling asleep. A man in black wrap cloth clothes sprung out from behind a tree and withdrew a sabre from a sheath on his back. Ezio leapt at the attacker with all force. Ezio's feet ploughed through the air hitting the warrior in the ribs. The blow knocked the man backwards, but he was up again in a matter of seconds. Ezio ripped a knife from the holster in his shirt and threw it at the swordsman, who ducked it and ran at Ezio. Ezio drew his own sword as more men advanced out of the darkness. Ezio ducked under the first swipe before shoving the wristblade upwards, under the man's outstretched arm.  
As the man collapsed Ezio hurled knives into the remaining twelve men. Four of them hit their targets, but only two of the men fell. The other two staggered on, swords drawn on Ezio. The first one was taken down with a neck break. The second man, Ezio shoved into his attackers. The one he shoved fell onto one of his comrade's swords, his yells of pain instantly stopped. The one whose sword he fell on simply pulled the blade out and threw it at Ezio. Ezio caught it, though it cut his palm open, and launched into the crowd. His wristblade sunk into an attacker's spine with a sickening crunch. Ezio retracted it, turned and ploughed his boot down into a second man's knee, snapping the bone clean in half, and finished him off with a knife to the throat. But Ezio lurched backwards as an arrow pierced his shoulder, knocking him off balance. The ambush party saw their chance and charged, but Ezio would not be taken down that easily. One arm was now immobile, but that didn't stop him. Ezio threw his remaining knives at three of the most threatening looking. As they fell back, he dived towards the archer, who shot another arrow just past his ear. Ezio landed on the archer's chest and snapped his head round, shattering the bones in his neck. With two men still standing Ezio thought he would be fine. That was until a second arrow hit him square in the back…

To be continued…


End file.
